You've Got That Wrong!
by KlonoaDreams
Summary: AU They say poor communication kills, and it definitely shows during the first trial when a certain High School Level Good Luck mentions one little detail that perplexes everyone. Apparently, nobody expected Makoto Naegi to be female...except Monokuma, but he doesn't count. Fem!Naegi
1. Gender

A/N Okay, first off, I know I have other stories I have to update, but this one is special since the only reason I decided to start this in the first place was because people reading _Façade_ supported the idea of me making a Dangan Ronpa fanfic. So, for those readers…here you are! And for new readers who just found this story by chance…welcome to what I consider the start of something big!

Now there might not be much to work with right now, but that is only because it is the first chapter. Just give it some time and it'll get better…and I'm pretty sure that I'm going to also have to eventually change this fic's rating from T to M eventually. Just keep that in mind…

Since this is the start of a new fic, it would only be appropriate that I put up the standard disclaimer. Unlike before, I FINALLY have money…that I actually need for school because college is fucking expensive. So yeah…I don't wanna get sued for every penny I have because I NEED it.

**Disclaimer for whole story: I don't own Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc or anything related to it!**

"This" is talking

"_This"_ is thoughts

_This_ is writing/flashbacks

"_**This"**_ is for announcements/recordings/videos

REMINDER: Read the end A/N…it'll save you a lot of trouble if you read it.

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…

…

If there was one thing that twelve out of the thirteen remaining students at Hope's Peak Academy weren't expecting, it was hearing Makoto Naegi point out a little fact that no one had been aware of in the past few days. It was such a small, yet very crucial detail that even _Kyoko Kirigiri_, someone who had proven to be the most deductive and observant of the group so far, had somehow missed. One thing led to another after that for the next few minutes until a certain question was asked and a point was made.

At which Naegi finally decided to say, "You are aware that I'm a girl, right?

After what had been said by Naegi, no one spoke…The only sound that could be heard in the courtroom was Monokuma's distinctive laughter. This did not bode well with Naegi.

"How could you guys think I'm a guy?!" Naegi was honestly shocked.

To say that Naegi's gender revelation didn't affect everyone in some sort of manner would be a lie. For one thing, no one was most uncomfortable with this revelation than Kiyotaka Ishimaru himself because that had made Naegi the _second_ of his female classmates that he had mistaken for the opposite sex, the first being Sakura Oogami, whom had just only corrected him minutes ago. For another, the sudden discovery that the current suspected murderer of Sayaka Maizono was not male, as everyone had assumed, actually brought up a lot of questions.

"H-How do we k-know you're not lying?!" Touko Fukawa was quick to protest, bringing up a valid point.

Celestia Ludenburg, one of the few who were unfazed with the revelation, nodded her head in agreement. "Yes. How do we know you are not lying?"

It was rather ironic that, of all people, the Queen of Liars had been the one to repeat the question. However, if anything, it only brought more attention to the current concerning matter now regarding Makoto Naegi, that being whether they were telling the truth or not. For that exact reason, all attention was now on Naegi.

"Out of curiosity, does anyone else know, Naegi-kun?" Kirigiri decided to ask.

Naegi paused for a moment and frowned. "Maizono-san and Enoshima-san knew—_had_ known."

Of course, Super High School Level Good Luck would be as _fortunate_ as to name the two recently deceased students. Needless to say, it wasn't a surprise that Monokuma had burst into a fit of hysterical laughter. The irony had been too delicious for him to ignore.

"Well, there is one way we can find out." Leon Kuwata crossed his arms. "We can check if Naegi really is a girl."

"Check…?" Naegi blinked a few times.

Hifumi Yamada nodded his head before he adjusted his glasses. "Yes, the only way to confirm a reverse-trap is to check for _them_."

Naegi's face turned a brilliant shade of red upon realizing the context of Yamada's statement. "Eh…?!"

"That is highly inappropriate!" Ishimaru interjected. "I cannot allow this sort of behavior, especially at the offhand chance that Naegi-kun is indeed a girl!"

"Boy or girl, I don't think anyone deserves to be treated that way!" Chihiro Fujisaki decided to voice her own opinion after seeing how uncomfortable the situation was getting for Naegi. "There has to be another way!"

Aoi Asahina nodded. "Yeah! And how come Sakura-chan got a pass when she corrected Ishimaru-kun and not Naegi-kun?"

…

…

"Well?" Oogami was waiting for an answer herself, but nothing was said. To some people, they already knew about Oogami due to what they have heard, such as in the case with Naegi, who looked up information on everyone prior to entering Hope's Peak Academy. To others, they took Oogami's words to heart without question, such as Ishimaru, who still felt embarrassed about misgendering Oogami. And then there were the people who were too afraid to pry any further and reveal their doubting thoughts for fear of Oogami maiming them. Sometimes, the title of Super High School Level Martial Artist that Oogami had made for herself was convincing enough for others not to doubt her.

Naegi, despite holding the title of Super High School Level Good Luck (as mentioned before), was not as fortunate as Oogami to hold such an acknowledged title, having been picked to attend Hope's Peak Academy in the first place via luck of the drawing. Nobody knew who Naegi was, save for Sayaka Maizono and even before her untimely death, she only knew Naegi very briefly due to one very notable moment in middle school. It was because of reasons such as this that Naegi was starting to grow to hate the title of Good Luck (Bad Luck?). Naegi even recalled the zany misadventures that had occurred on the day the letter from Hope's Peak Academy arrived…all because Naegi decided to take a separate route home from school.

"_I'm starting to think that was an omen…"_ Naegi sure thought it was at this point.

Byakuya Togami, as amused as he was initially, was growing tired of the lack of advancement in the current matter at hand. At the moment, it only served as a roadblock in the class trial since it prevented any progress from being made to apprehend the actual culprit. The fact that the subject concerning the validity of Naegi's gender revelation had gotten this out of hand was ridiculous. Deciding not to let this go on any longer, as it was bound to go at this rate, Togami decided to do the most logical thing. Once again, this involved asking Monokuma a question that _needed_ to be asked. "Oi, bear…is Naegi telling the truth or not?"

"Upupupu, looks like the fun's about to end!" Monokuma laughed. "Such a shame, too, I was really getting a kick out of this predicament you guys have made for Naegi-kun!"

"Just answer the fucking question!" Mondo Oowada shouted, having had enough of this fiasco.

Yasuhiro Hagakure was the only person in the entire room at this point whom had yet to say anything following Naegi's gender revelation. The reason for Hagakure's silence was because he had no idea what to say. He was at a loss since the focus had completely shifted from discovering the true culprit who murdered Sayaka Maizono to whether or not Naegi really was in fact female. As it was mentioned before, the situation had indeed gotten out of hand.

Though, thanks to Togami taking initiative, the question currently on everyone's mind was finally going get answered. All attention was now on Monokuma.

"Upupu, very well, I'll tell." Monokuma turned his attention on Naegi. "But only because poor Naegi-kun's dignity is on the line! Naegi-kun's classmates can be so cruel~! Of course, it _is_ hard to believe that someone so _average_-looking as Super High School Level Good Luck could be a girl."

A small bead of sweat rolled down the side of Naegi's face. "Hmm…"

Monokuma snickered. "But I assure you that Naegi-kun is in fact a girl…so don't bother checking for _them_. They don't even exist."

"How did you know that?!" Naegi exclaimed. "I mean…h-hey!"

And so the truth was finally revealed…Super High School Level Good Luck, Makoto Naegi, was in fact female. Though, for better or for worse, Naegi's dignity still took a hard hit, no thanks to Monokuma's _careful_ choice of words.

…

…

…

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A/N End of chapter and shall I begin the explanation for this fic? First off, I got into Dangan Ronpa just two weeks or so before the localization of the game was released, so that is pretty late for me. I also watched the anime adaptation after finishing the LP of the first game and I am currently following the LP of Super Dangan Ronpa 2, which is also getting a localization that's scheduled to come out later this year. Now what does this have to do with anything? Everything.

Now originally, I had a long A/N typed out for this chapter, but I decided to separate it and post it in sections based on significance. The reason I even had a long A/N typed out in the first place is because I need to give out information for people to keep in consideration. The fandom of this series consists of fans who played the fantranslation of the game, fans who followed the LP translation of the game, and ever since the release of the localization of the game…there are now fans who have played the localization and most likely listened to the English dub cast. And then there's the part of the fanbase who watched the anime and then played the localization, but I digress. The point I'm trying to make is that I better not see any hostility towards any specific side of the fandom when it pertains to this…_especially_ if it concerns the localization. Speaking of which, I have some things to say because I like pointing out differences, such as Monokuma's laughter differing between dubs, but I'll save that for later.

ALSO, NO SPOILERS…AT ALL…I don't care if I already know what happens in the first game and I only know up to a certain point in chapter 3 of Super Dangan Ronpa 2. Normally, I wouldn't say stuff like this, but Dangan Ronpa has many twists and turns to the point that even the smallest of details could become a crucial plot point within the game (I'm not even joking about that). And, on a more personal note, I'd rather avoid talking about a certain issue until the time comes for me to talk about it. Let me just say…that issue shows the ugly side of the Dangan Ronpa fandom. That is all.

Now I'll talk about fem!Naegi some other time since there is a LOT I want to say about her. For now, I just hope you enjoyed this chapter. I certainly did, despite the difficulty I had starting this fic. Now here's the thing about this fic. I started this fic in the first place due to support, so in order to stay consistent with that, I'll only continue updating this fic if you show your support via review. So if you want to see more updates, review. I need to know if I should put in some time for this story…otherwise, I'll be sticking to Façade, my Persona 4 Genderbender…

And keep in mind, when you review, **DO NOT TELL ME** "Update soon!" because that is a HUGE pet peeve of mine and you'll only piss me off instead of encouraging me to keep on writing. Now I usually rather not talk about pairings, especially since it's too early to do so…BUT for this fic, I'll make an exception. I have plans for Naegami…and then some. Hope that keeps you guys happy! And remember, just because I have a pairing already set…doesn't mean I won't keep myself from giving out hints of OTHER pairings. I'm a multishipper…if I have multiple pairings for one fandom, then I sure as hell will show it if I ever write for the fandom. By the way, I appreciate the people who took the time to read the A/N, so thank you…And just to let you know, I WILL know who DIDN'T read the A/N and let's just say…depending on what happens, you can either avoid or provoke my wrath. So on the safe side, you guys should make it a habit of reading my A/Ns…it can save you a LOT of time if you do.

Welp, that's it for now. This is only the first chapter, but I will say I have a lot of things planned for this fic. Until next time, KD out! XD


	2. Despair

With the truth finally revealed and Naegi confirmed as a female student, the weight of it started to sink in… Of course, by now, the shock of it had died down for mostly everyone…mostly.

"I punched a chick?!" Memories of what had occurred on the first day started to flood Oowada's mind. Considering what he told Naegi earlier during the investigation in her room, which was about his thoughts concerning men who harmed women (at which Naegi said nothing for various reasons, most of which concern Oowada and Naegi being intimidated by him)…the irony was unappreciated.

Of course, for Monokuma, the irony was _definitely_ appreciated, as shown by the fact that his distinctive laughter followed after Oowada's outburst. If Oowada hadn't been too caught up with the fact that he punched a girl (the dark bruise on Naegi's left cheek only made that fact worse), he would have yelled at Monokuma for laughing at him.

Yamada was a little disappointed with the manner in which Naegi's gender revelation had been confirmed. Despite this, Yamada was still rather pleased that there was a confirmation in the first place…Maybe a bit _too_ pleased for anyone's comfort. "Reverse-trap confirmed! Not bad, not bad!"

Naegi took a few steps to her left with the intention of distancing herself from Yamada. She also briefly contemplated on pulling her hood over her head, but decided not to as Monokuma would most likely make a huge deal out of it. The last thing she needed now was more attention from Monokuma…

"If you actually look closely, the buttons on Naegi-kun's jacket are on the left side," Monokuma stated. "And if you'd asked, Naegi-kun would have told you she had a sewing kit. Upupupu…"

"So what does that mean?" Kuwata asked, not really understanding the significance of the situation. "Naegi is a girl, but is that really important?"

…

…

"Actually, it is," Kirigiri replied. "And Monokuma just mentioned quite an interesting fact that relates to this. Though, I think it is best we return to our previous discussion concerning Naegi-kun's bathroom door now that we know the reason why she said her door should have had a lock. So why didn't it have a lock?"

"And why couldn't it open?" Fujisaki asked.

Naegi blinked and nodded. "That's because the door gets stuck."

Kuwata made a face. "Huh? What are you talking about?"

"My bathroom door doesn't fit in the frame quite right," Naegi explained. "Monokuma over there can testify to that."

Monokuma laughed as all attention was now on him. "Yes, it's just like she says! But for Super High-School Level Good Luck to get the door that gets stuck? And to be the only girl without a lock because of that? Upupu…! That's not good luck at all!"

Naegi bit her lip. She really hated her title…

"As you can see, the reason the door didn't open was just because it got stuck…" Kirigiri continued. "But the culprit didn't know that, and assumed it was locked. So they tore apart the doorknob to get in."

Celes accepted Kirigiri's explanation, but there was one thing that still bothered her. "If that is the case, then why did the culprit even think the door was locked in the first place? Up until now, we have assumed Naegi-kun was male and based on that, we should have assume her door had no lock. And just now, we have recently discovered that Naegi-kun is an exception to the girls all having locks on their doors. This is new information that the culprit couldn't have known beforehand."

It was information that just about everyone in this room couldn't have known…with the exception of Monokuma, of course.

"That is indeed true." Kirigiri nodded her head. "However, barring all new information, the culprit could have easily mistaken the door for locked due to one important detail about the scene of the crime that was unknown to them…Naegi-kun should know why."

"_The important detail about the scene of the crime the culprit didn't know about…"_ It took Naegi a few moments to figure out what Kirigiri meant. "The culprit most likely didn't realize it was my room!"

This caught Yamada by surprise. "Are you saying the killer didn't even know where he was?! That's…inconceivable!"

"And yet, she's absolutely right," Kirigiri remarked.

"Whaaaaaaaat?!" Yamada was baffled.

Kirigiri placed her hand on her chin. "Well, to be more specific…the culprit didn't know that Naegi-kun and Maizono-san had switched rooms. That's what led to the misunderstanding about the bathroom. If Maizono-san had been in her room…"

Ishimaru's eyes widened. "Then there would have been a lock on the door, and they would've had to break through…!"

Oogami crossed her arms. "So they had no idea how unnecessary their actions were…"

Kirigiri nodded her head. "Ultimately, we can't know if it came open by force or simply by accident, but…The culprit must have been considerably confused, with no idea how they actually got the door opened."

"Regardless, it was a pointless act," Togami huffed. "Wasting time trying to break down a door that wasn't locked is…"

"…definitely something I wouldn't do, since I would've known exactly why it wasn't opening," Naegi finished for Togami as she looked directly at him. "Right?"

Togami diverted his eyes to the side and sighed in annoyance. "That is…a definite possibility."

"So the culprit is someone who didn't know the rooms were exchanged…?" Fujisaki mused.

Fukawa chewed on her thumb. "Then Naegi-kun _c-couldn't_ have done it…!"

"_That's what I've been trying to tell you…"_ Naegi was almost overwhelmed from relief.

Oowada scowled. "In that case, who the fuck is the culprit?!"

"I'm sorry, but I give up!" Yamada exclaimed in a deep voice. "Quit without saving!"

Fujisaki fidgeted nervously. "What'll happen…if we don't figure out who the killer is?"

Ishimaru crossed his arms. "Well then, why don't we just vote right now? Majority rules!"

"Majority rules?" Kuwata looked nervously at Ishimaru. "Do you really think that's a good idea…?"

Hagakure nodded as small beads of sweat rolled down his forehead from anxiety. "Yeah, isn't that situation quite dangerous…? Realistically speaking, someone really needs to do something about this…"

Celes decided to take that initiative. "Does no one have any other thoughts or questions? It does not matter how trivial they may seem…"

Asahina lit up. "Ah! I have a question!"

Celes's expression dimmed. "Oh…you…"

Asahina scowled. "Why do you sound so disappointed?!"

"It's fine, it's fine, just ask your question, Asahina-kun!" Ishimaru was quick to say.

"Oh yeah!" Asahina sighed. "Okay, so, umm…Well, I was just wondering, how'd the culprit get into Naegi-kun's room in the first place?"

Oogami nodded. "Hmm…Yes, how _did_ the culprit get inside?"

"Maybe Maizono just dropped the key somewhere and the culprit picked it up." Kuwata scratched his head. "That's possible, right?"

"I don't think so," Ishimaru replied. "That seems way too convenient."

"Then…maybe someone picked the lock?" Fujisaki suggested.

"Negative!" Ishimaru exclaimed. "If you remember, Monokuma made it quite clear that the locks are all unpickable."

"Fine, how about this?" Yamada adjusted his glasses. "The culprit was let in by Maizono-san herself!"

Naegi shook her head. "No, that can't be it either."

"O-ho!" Yamada laughed. "Trying to argue against me? Sounds like someone doesn't know their place! So let's hear it! What's the reason you're so sure of that?!"

Naegi frowned. "That's because Maizono-san was afraid, remember? That's why she asked me to switch rooms in the first place."

"Why didn't you just stay together in the same room like I did with Sakura-chan?" Asahina asked. "You're both girls and if Maizono-san was scared, why did you leave her all alone in your room?"

Naegi was about to say something but stopped. "I…don't know…I didn't really think too much about it."

"Hmph, and look what good that did," Togami remarked.

"Your comment was unneeded." Naegi scowled at Togami. "That aside, I just can't believe Maizono-san would do that. She told me she wouldn't open the door for anyone, even if it was me."

"What if that was all a lie?" Kirigiri suggested.

"Eh?" This caught Naegi completely off guard. Almost immediately, Naegi became defensive. "W-What are you saying?! Why would she tell a lie like that?!"

"I know you don't want to consider it, but look at this and tell me…can you still deny the possibility?" Kirigiri pulled out a note from her jacket's pocket and held it out for Naegi to see. There was writing on the note that read:

_I want to speak with you alone._

_Please come to my room in five minutes._

_Be sure to check the nameplate so you don't get the wrong room._

"I found a notepad during my search, and I shaded in the top sheet with a pencil," Kirigiri explained. "And these are the words that appeared."

"Ah! I've seen this on TV!" Asahina was absolutely giddy. "When you write, it can leave an imprint. Sketch over the next sheet of paper, and you can see the words! When I saw that, I was like, 'Holy crap! I better make sure I rip the paper out before I use it from now on!"

A small smile formed on Kirigiri's lips. "It's a pretty old-fashioned technique, but even the classics can be surprisingly useful sometimes. By the way, I found the notepad on top of the desk in Naegi-kun's room."

Naegi blinked. "Huh?"

"That means only someone who had been in Naegi-kun's room before the incident could have written it," Kirigiri explained.

"Then it was either Naegi, who lived there, or Maizono, who switched rooms for a single night…" Togami stated.

Kirigiri focused her gaze on Naegi. "Naegi-kun…did you write this?"

Naegi looked at the note and shook her head. "N-No, I didn't…"

Kirigiri nodded. "I thought so…Besides, the note appears to have been signed by Maizono."

"Why would she write this?" Naegi couldn't believe it.

"She probably used that note to invite someone to her room," Kirigiri inferred.

"An invitation from the Super High-School Level Idol?" Yamada practically drooled at the thought. "No guy could possibly resist that—Of course, I'm only into 2D so it wouldn't have any effect on me!"

"Wait a minute." Celes had a question to ask. "That note, signed by Maizono-san, said, 'Please come to my room,' right?"

"Wouldn't they have gone to her actual room instead?" Fujisaki asked. "The one Naegi-kun was in."

"No," Kirigiri said firmly. "The culprit would have definitely gone to Naegi-kun's room."

"Oh?" Celes was perplexed. "And why's that?"

"The residents weren't the only thing that was swapped between the rooms," Kirigiri replied. "The nameplates were too. Someone relying solely on the handbook would have entered the wrong room."

"So whoever received the note…" Fujisaki began.

"…wouldn't have mixed up the rooms," Togami finished for Fujisaki. "They would've gone straight to where Maizono Sayaka was—Naegi's room."

"But who would have swapped the nameplates?" Kirigiri questioned before diverting her eyes on Naegi. "It wasn't you, was it, Naegi-kun?"

"N-No…" Naegi replied nervously.

A small bead of sweat rolled down the side of Kuwata's face. "Wh-Who was it, then?"

"There's only one person who could've switched the nameplates." Naegi felt an unpleasant sensation building up in the pit of her stomach. She knew who it was who changed the nameplate…but she just couldn't believe it. She hesitated to speak up at first until the truth had finally sunk in. "The only other person who knew about the room swap…was Maizono-san."

"You can also infer as much from her note…" Kirigiri held up the note again.

_I want to speak with you alone._

_Please come to my room in five minutes._

_Be sure to check the nameplate so you don't get the wrong room._

"She specifically tells the reader to check the nameplate." Kirigiri emphasized that detail. "She would only have written that if she knew the nameplates had been switched."

"But why would she switch them in the first place?" Fujisaki asked.

"And along with that, why would she invite someone after switching rooms?" Asahina had been wondering about that since Naegi revealed that Maizono was the only person capable of switching the nameplates.

"Hmph." Togami couldn't believe that everyone had overlooked what, to him, was the obvious. Of course, it had taken him some time to figure it out, but he eventually reached a conclusion. "Maizono was most likely plotting a murder. She was going to switch the nameplates back after the murder, which would put the blame on Naegi."

Naegi's eyes widened. "That can't be—"

"'True'?" Togami cut Naegi off. "Can you really say that?"

"…" Naegi bit her lip. She had no idea what to say.

Togami crossed his arms. "Take a look at all the evidence we have. Maizono's plan failed because she allowed the idiot she lured to fight back."

"He got the first strike in with the fake sword!" Hagakure suddenly exclaimed.

"No, he was defending himself," Kirigiri was quick to disprove Hagakure.

Togami turned his head toward Kirigiri. "That explains the marks on the sheath. If things had gone according to her plan, then Maizono would be standing there with an innocent look on her face."

Naegi still couldn't believe it. "But why would Maizono-san…"

"It's simple," Celes replied. "She wanted to get out of here."

"But she had the tables turned on her and got killed." Togami wasn't too shy to remind everyone of that. "What a fool."

Naegi glared at Togami. "How could you say th—"

"Well, am I wrong?" Togami looked sternly at Naegi, somewhat amused with her reaction. "That's how this game works."

Naegi clenched her teeth. "But—"

"Calm down," Kirigiri said firmly. "This is no time for quarrels."

Togami closed his eyes and huffed upon noticing the stern look Kirigiri was giving him specifically. "Hmph."

"Indeed." Celes looked at Togami in disapproval. "We still haven't figured out who the culprit is."

"Who it is among us, you mean," Togami remarked.

"Th-That's right!" Hagakure was anxious. "We still need to convict someone!"

Fukawa was on the verge of a nervous breakdown at this point. "We're done for! This is going to be the end of us!"

Naegi bit her lip. _"Come on, think! It's all over if we don't identify the culprit. There's got to be something we're overlooking…"_

"Y'know, how are we supposed to find someone guilty?" Kuwata sighed before scratching his head. "We're out of new clues."

At that moment, something clicked within Naegi as she quickly pondered over Kuwata's words. Something was off and she knew why. "You've got that wrong!"

This caught Kuwata off guard. "Wh-What?"

"There are still clues left," Naegi explained. "The dying message Maizono-san left."

"Dining—wait, what did you say?" Kuwata made a face.

"Dying message," Kirigiri coolly replied as she looked at Kuwata. "Didn't you see what was on the wall behind Maizono-san?"

Upon checking the evidence within his e-handbook, Kuwata gasped. "Oh! The heck was that?!"

"That 1107 thing?" Asahina said.

"Wouldn't that girl over there know a lot more about numbers than we do?" Oowada turned his attention to Fujisaki. "You're a Super High-School Level Programmer, aren't you?"

Fujisaki frowned. "Well, I actually don't have a clue. I can't make any sense out of that code."

"_Maizono-san ran into the bathroom, but the door was forced open, and she was killed using the knife that was taken from her."_ Naegi went over the events in her head, trying to figure out if there was anything worth mentioning. A few moments had passed before she finally exclaimed, "Wait, I got it!"

All attention was now on Naegi.

"The writing on the wall…" Naegi began, pausing only for a moment to let out a shaky breath in an attempt to ease her tension. She was terrified, but she couldn't give up now after everything. "…it's the culprit's _name_!"

"Eh?!" Now this caught everyone, save for Kirigiri, Celes, and Togami (as well as Monokuma), by surprise.

Naegi placed both her hands on the railing and released yet another shaky breath. "If you rotate the dying message 180 degrees, you get…'Leon.' Isn't that…your name, Kuwata Leon-kun?"

Kuwata's breath hitched as he looked nervously at Naegi. Naegi wasn't looking so good either, being just as nervous as Kuwata, but for different reasons. She tried her best to keep her composure, even though she was already trembling.

"Kuwata…Leon," Oogami repeated, earning Kuwata's immediate attention.

"H-Hold on!" Kuwata exclaimed, already beginning to lose his composure. "You're just distortin' the truth here!"

Kirigiri remained unfazed by Kuwata's sudden change in behavior. "She most likely wrote the message with her back to the wall."

"Since she wrote it that way, it'd be rotated 180 degrees if you looked at it from the front," Naegi explained.

"What the hell?" Kuwata growled. "You really think _I_ did it? Give me a goddamn break!"

"If you're not the culprit, then why did you destroy the evidence?" Kirigiri's question hit Kuwata hard.

…

"What do you mean?" Ishimaru was perplexed.

Naegi thought for a moment. "You mean the burnt shirt and the glass sphere fragments near the incinerator, right?"

"Oh, I remember seeing those!" Yamada exclaimed.

Hagakure blinked. "Come to think of it, I couldn't find my crystal ball anywhere. P-Please don't tell me that's what happened to it."

Before Naegi could say anything, Kirigiri spoke. "Naegi-kun. Looks like you're starting to figure out the answer to this mystery."

Naegi closed her eyes and let out one last shaky breath. Then she opened her eyes, her expression looking much more confident than ever as she knew the answer. "This is the whole story behind the case."

Everyone, even Kuwata, went silent to allow Naegi to speak up.

"The culprit panicked and tried to destroy the evidence after killing Maizono-san, but since he couldn't get near the incinerator, he decided to use Hagakure-kun's crystal ball." Naegi's voice was clear, her tone firm. "The mere idea of it would've been unthinkable to any normal person, but the culprit was certain he could pull it off…Because he was the Super High-School Level Baseball Player. Satisfied that he'd destroyed whatever evidence there was, he immediately left the trash room. He didn't realize one thing, though. A piece of the white shirt he'd thrown burned off and fell to the ground. He had no idea that it'd be conclusive evidence against him. Isn't that right, Kuwata Leon-kun?"

Kuwata clenched his teeth as Naegi looked sternly at him. He was at a loss for words, not knowing what to say after all that.

"Well, Kuwata-kun?" Kirigiri looked fixedly at Kuwata. "Do you object to anything that's been said?"

"Do I object?" Kuwata repeated, his eyes wide and fist clenched. "Hell yes I object! Of course I do! I object! I object! I object! I mean, all of this is just a bunch of stupid theories! You need evidence! Where's the evidence?!"

Kuwata's loud voice echoed throughout the room. No one said anything or rather; no one wanted to say anything. By the manner in which Kuwata had reacted, it was obvious that he was in fact the culprit…but Kuwata refused to accept it.

"Without evidence, it's all bullshit!" Kuwata seethed. "It's bullshit and I refuse to acknowledge it!"

"Well then, I guess this is as good a time as any to present the evidence that proves you did it." Kirigiri diverted her eyes on Naegi. "Naegi-kun…I believe you're in possession of that evidence?"

Naegi blinked. "I…have that kind of evidence…?"

"When the culprit removed the screws from the doorknob, they didn't use anything from your room to do it," Kirigiri explained. "In fact, they couldn't have. So really, their only option must have been to use something that belonged to them—something which you do not have. Now what exactly was it that they used to remove the screws?"

"_They used something of their own to remove the screws…"_ Naegi pondered. _"Something that I don't have…Could it have been…?"_

"I refuse to acknowledge you!" Kuwata yelled. "You're stupid! Stupid stupid stupid! Stupidstupidstupidstupidstupidstupidstupid!"

A small bead of sweat rolled down the side of Naegi's face. "But the only one who could've hit the incinerator switch with a crystal ball was you, the Super High-School Level Baseball player!"

"Stupid stupid stupid!" Kuwata slammed his hands on the railing. "I'm not gonna stand for this! Besides, Yamada-kun was the one on duty! He could've easily entered the room!"

"But Yamada-kun wouldn't have needed to throw the crystal ball from outside!" Naegi remarked.

"Stupid stupid stupid!" Kuwata continued insulting Naegi. "You're saying I threw the crystal ball and destroyed all the evidence, but isn't that just guesswork based on circumstantial evidence?!"

Naegi grimaced. "Perhaps, but there's other stuff that proves you did it."

"Shut up already!" Kuwata snapped.

"The doorknob to the bathroom had its screws taken out—" Naegi tried to bring up what Kirigiri had mentioned a few moments ago, but she was immediately interrupted by Kuwata.

"Who the hell cares?!" Kuwata screeched.

Naegi, despite being intimidated by how Kuwata was treating her, somehow managed to keep her composure. "What did the culprit use to take those screws out?"

"Your theory's completely off the mark, you nincompoop shithead!" Kuwata scowled at Naegi.

"If my theory is correct, then the screwdriver in that toolkit won't be brand new." Naegi recalled hearing from Oowada that none of the guys had opened or used their toolkits yet.

"Without evidence, it's all bullshit!" Kuwata retorted. "It's bullshit and I refuse to acknowledge it!"

"_This will prove it once and for all."_ Naegi knew what to do or rather…knew what to ask. "Kuwata-kun…could you show us your toolkit?"

"Stupidstupidstu…uh, huh?" Kuwata trailed off.

"I mean, how else could the culprit remove the screws from my bathroom doorknob?" Naegi questioned. "Just what kind of tool could be used to remove screws?"

…

"It had to be a screwdriver, right?" Oowada replied after a miniscule moment of silence.

Hagakure placed his hand on his chin in thought. "Oh yeah…I'm pretty sure the toolkits we got each had one inside."

"Then that must be what he used!" Yamada nodded as he adjusted his glasses. "There aren't any other tools anywhere."

"Only the boys go the toolkits, so—wait a minute!" Fujisaki realized something. "Naegi-kun doesn't have a toolkit!"

Ishimaru gasped. "You're right!"

A small bead of sweat rolled down the side of Naegi's face. She couldn't believe that she hadn't use that information earlier when she was the prime suspect to Maizono's murder. "That's because I have a sewing kit!"

Monokuma had been silent up until this point where he couldn't help but laugh. "Upupupu…didn't I say earlier that if you had asked, Naegi-kun would have told you she had a sewing kit?"

Oowada clenched his teeth. "How could we let that one pass by us?!"

"Naegi-kun, I'm so sorry!" Asahina looked apologetically at Naegi. "I didn't mean for that to happen to you! I should have remembered that fact!"

"I, too, apologize for not thinking that there was any significance to Monokuma's words…" Oogami lowered her head.

Celes closed her eyes and sighed. "It seems that we all owe Naegi-kun an apology."

"I'm more surprised that she waited until now to mention that again," Togami huffed. "How long has it been since Monokuma first mentioned that Naegi had a sewing kit?"

"Togami-kun, would you please refrain from picking on Naegi-kun?" Kirigiri looked coldly at Togami. "If you want someone to blame, then blame me for pushing that information aside. However…you're just as much to fault as I am, seeing as you knew about it as well and yet, you stayed quiet."

Togami narrowed his eyes at Kirigiri, but said nothing. The Super High-School Level Heir had decided not to dignify Kirigiri's remark with a response.

"Anyways, we are getting off topic," Kirigiri remarked. "Naegi-kun, if you may?"

Naegi nodded. "As everyone already knows by now, I don't have a toolkit…so then whose toolkit did the culprit use?"

Yamada decided to answer Naegi's question. "It had to be their very own toolkit!"

Asahina nodded. "There's no doubt about it!"

"So Kuwata-kun, I'll ask you again…" Naegi looked Kuwata right in the eyes. "Can you show us your toolkit? If I'm right about this…then the screwdriver will show some evidence of being used!"

Kuwata said nothing, having been intimidated by Naegi to the point of silence.

Togami's glasses gleamed in the light as he looked sternly at Kuwata. By now, he had decided this trial had gone on long enough. "If you say you used it for something else, you'll have to explain exactly when, where, and why…"

"And let me say this right now…" Kirigiri said coldly. "'I lost it' isn't an excuse at this point."

"Stu…pid." Kuwata's voice was beginning to crack. "Stu…pid?"

…

…

Togami closed his eyes. "It doesn't look like he has any rebuttals."

Celes twirled a lock of her black hair with her index finger. "Then it would seem…we are finished here."

"Upupupu…" Monokuma laughed. "Looks like you've reached your verdict! Then are we ready to cast our votes? You all have a lever in front of you. Use it to make your selection! Oh, just to remind you all…Make triple sure you vote for someone! You wouldn't want to be punished for something so minor, right?"

Monokuma almost seemed oblivious to the fact that a majority of the students were quite visibly unsettled with the fact that they had to vote…except he wasn't. The fact that some students were visibly unsettled only made Monokuma giddy with excitement for the events that were just minutes away from occurring.

"Okay!" Monokuma happily exclaimed. "Then let's get excited! Who will be chosen as the blackened? Will you make the right choice, or the dreadfully wrong one? What's it gonna be? What's it gonna beeee?!"

…

…

"Bingo! That's right!" A pink blush tinged Monokuma's cheeks as he gave everyone a thumbs-up. "Maizono Sayaka-san was killed by Kuwata Leon-kun!"

Kuwata paled. "Excuse me?"

Kuwata was met with many looks of disapproval.

"Urk…" Naegi felt sick.

Asahina covered her mouth. "Kuwata…"

"You piece of shit!" Oowada yelled. "Why the hell did you do that?!"

"You really think I had a choice?" Kuwata's body began to shake. "It was kill or be killed! S-So that's why…I killed her first. None of you are any different! One wrong step, and you'd be the one standing here!"

Kuwata collapsed onto his knees as he began to cry loudly. Kuwata's bawling only made Naegi feel even worse, having been the one to identify Kuwata as the blackened. It was because of her that Kuwata had broken down. Of course, what other choice did she really have?

"_I don't know what to think of this…"_ Naegi just realized she was basically repeating what Kuwata said. It didn't help that she was still distraught over the fact that Maizono had tried to frame her. It just made her think over the way Maizono had treated her. _"She used me…is that why she talked to me in the first place?"_

Naegi will never know…because Maizono was dead.

"Upupupu…" Monokuma's distinctive laughter snapped Naegi out of her thoughts. "The entertainment industry must sure be terrifying, huh?! I mean, to try and kill someone just because of those relationships! She seemed so nice and lovely on the outside, but inside…she'd descended into pure madness!"

"Wh…what did you say?" Naegi's voice nearly cracked.

Monokuma exhaled in relief. "I understand, really I do. Yup yup! You're in utter despair thanks to Maizono-san's betrayal, right? Compassion, intimacy, love…The stronger those feelings, the stronger the despair when they collapse!"

Naegi couldn't believe what she was hearing… "Cut the crap! It's all your fault! What Maizono-san…did…Everything, everything…_everything_, **everything**…**It's all your goddamn fault**!"

Suddenly, in a frenzy, Naegi lunged at Monokuma. Though, before she could get any closer, a hand grabbed her arm tightly and stopped her.

"That's enough." Kirigiri looked sternly at Naegi. Her grip was like iron, strong enough that Naegi was sure that it would leave a bruise. "If you really want to make her enemies pay for what they've done, you need to let it go for now."

Naegi clenched her teeth, still very much enraged at Monokuma for what he said and frustrated at being unable to do anything at the current moment. "Damn it!"

"Ahh, that was a close one!" Monokuma exclaimed. "I thought for sure you were gonna give me a good walloping! Just barely avoided punishment, you did! Now then! Since you so magnificently revealed the identity of the killer during the class trial…the blackened, Kuwata Leon-kun, will receive his punishment!"

"P-Punishment?" Kuwata ceased his crying as he stood up. "You mean…e-execution? W-Wait a second! I didn't have a choice! I HAD to kill her! Y-Yeah, that's it! I was just protecting myself in the heat of the moment! It was self-defense!"

"How, exactly, was it self-defense?" Celes stared coldly at Kuwata. "When you forced your way into the bathroom, did you or did you not use your very own toolkit? After she'd shut herself in the bathroom, you went out of your way to head back to your own room…Then you came all the way back, broke into the bathroom, and killed her. Am I wrong? You had any number of chances to stop what you were doing. But you chose not to. Is it not because you had an unclouded intent to commit murder?"

"N-No!" Kuwata exclaimed. "That's not…!"

"Stop it…" Naegi covered her ears. "I've had enough of this…"

"Oh!" Celes covered her mouth in shock. "Are you sure? You were closer to her than anyone, were you not? He killed your precious Maizono-san. Do you understand?"

"I can't say Kuwata-kun is solely to blame…" Naegi let out a shaky breath. "Of course, I don't plan on blaming Maizono-san, either. Because…it's all _his _fault!"

Monokuma tilted his head to the side. "Oho?"

"If it weren't for you…" Naegi clenched her teeth. "This would have never happened to Maizono-san, OR Kuwata-kun! We shouldn't be fighting each other…We should be fighting against the one who put us in this situation! The mastermind!"

"Uh-oh!" Monokuma covered his mouth. "Did you awaken to your sense of justice?! Well, it just so happens that there's nothing more unethical than an unwavering sense of justice. After all, it's people with that sort of mentality that perpetuate war all over the world. Is that the kind of justice that's awakened within you?!"

"Just…shut up!" Naegi snapped.

"Okay, well, anyway—more importantly~!" Monokuma laughed as he turned his attention to Kuwata. "Let's hurry up and get to what everyone's been waiting for! The punishment!"

"I'm begging you…!" Kuwata pleaded. "Please, don't do this!"

"No more begging!" Monokuma's eyes glowed red. "No more excuses! You must pay the penalty for breaking the rules! Society demands it!"

"No…" Kuwata took a step back. "No…No!"

Everyone watched Kuwata as he ran off in a desperate attempt to escape. However, his attempt was futile as there was no way out of the room.

"Let me out!" Kuwata screamed as he pounded his fists on the wall.

"Now then, I've prepared a very special punishment for Kuwata Leon-kun, the Super High-School Level Baseball Player!"

"No no no no no no no!" Kuwata screamed.

"Let's give it everything we've got!" Monokuma gleefully exclaimed. "It's…PUNISHMENT TIIIME~!"

"NNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Kuwata's screams echoed throughout the room.

…

…

Monokuma had returned to his chair and pulled out a gavel as a big, red button appeared in front of him. He then used the gavel to pressed down on the button.

**GAME OVER**

**LEON KUWATA HAS BEEN FOUND GUILTY.**

**COMMENCING EXECUTION!**

Kuwata looked around the room in anticipation. He couldn't say anything, fear having rendered him silent by now. The last person he looked at before a cold, metal shackle closed around his neck was Naegi. Seeing her horrified reaction as a strong pull around his neck dragged him backwards only added to his despair. The shackle had been linked to a long chain that was now dragging Kuwata through a dull, prison-like hallway. Kuwata desperately clawed at the shackle the whole entire time until he pulled up against a signpost. He couldn't breathe at first until three metallic bands appeared and snapped over his torso, thighs, and just below his knees to give him enough support so he wasn't just being hanged by his neck.

Of course, when Kuwata realized where he was, he was absolutely baffled. He was in a batting cage. Just standing away from him from a certain distance was a pitching machine, being filled with baseballs that were ready to be pitched. Watching behind the chain-linked fence was the rest of remaining students, all of whom were forcefully brought to the batting cage to witness the horror that ensued once the pitching machine was turned on.

Monokuma stood to the side of the pitching machine. He was wearing a baseball helmet and holding a baseball bat. As soon as Monokuma had put himself in a batting stance, the first baseball shot out of the machine and hit Kuwata right in the chest. Almost immediately after, a barrage of baseballs shot out of the machine at a high velocity, all of which hit Kuwata from shoulder to toe, and all around his body, save for his head. Monokuma joined in on the execution by hitting any baseball that came his way at Kuwata.

No one had been prepared to witness Kuwata's execution, which was referred to as "A Million Fungoes" by Monokuma. The shock of witnessing the brutal scene before them had rendered everyone still, their gaze locked on Kuwata as he was slowly beaten to death by multiple baseballs. Sickening cracks were disturbingly audible over the loud noise coming from the pitching machine. The splatter of blood began to coat the floor beneath Kuwata's body. After so many baseballs had hit him just about everywhere from the shoulders down, Kuwata was still _alive_, his face contorted in agonizing pain and terror.

Suddenly, the pitching machine changed its trajectory and the baseballs were shot in a new direction: Kuwata's face. The look of absolute horror on Kuwata's face moments prior before a barrage of baseballs hit his face burned into the memory of those who had witnessed the entire scene. A few moments passed before the pitching machine stopped shooting baseballs. The chain-linked fence slid open, allowing every access to the batting cage…and Kuwata's battered body. Everyone stared at Kuwata's lifeless body as it hanged by the neck from the signpost. A bloody baseball rolled its way over to the group, stopping right in front of Naegi, who had been the closest to the chain-linked fence.

What had occurred before everyone's eyes was the true face of despair. There was really no other way to describe it. And for that reason, Monokuma was hyped.

"Woohoo!" he gleefully exclaimed. "Extreeeeeeemmmmmeeeee! Man, my adrenaline is pumping right outta control!"

The reality of what had occurred began to sink in within each of the remaining students. Yamada was the first to vocally react.

"Uwah…! Uwaaaaaahhh!" Yamada's screams set off a chain of reactions.

"Wh-Wh-What's going o-on?!" Fukawa's stutter had become noticeably worse, most likely as a result from the terror that was overwhelming her.

Fujisaki collapsed onto her knees and covered her face as she began bawling. "I-I can't take this anymore…! I've had enough…!"

"Well hey, if you don't like it…" Monokuma laughed maliciously. "All you gotta do is swear to cut off all your ties with the outside world and accept living here forever! But that's only if every single one of you can get onboard with that. Upupupup…Hyaa hyaa haa hyaa!"

Oowada clenched his teeth as he glared at Monokuma. "Man, fuck you…Why the fuck are you doing all this evil shit to us?!"

"Evil?!" Monokuma's eyes glowed red. "You make it sound like I'm some member of a dark, awful, secret society! Though, in my case, I'm probably a memBEAR!"

"Urk…URGHHHH!"

Monokuma turned his attention and sighed. "Now now, Naegi-kun…I wasn't THAT horrible!"

"Naegi-kun!" Asahina and Oogami were quick to run to Naegi's side, just mere seconds after she had finished emptying the contents of her stomach onto the floor. Tears were streaming down her cheeks as she retched again.

Monokuma sighed. "You sure are making my job harder when I clean up."

Seeing how Monokuma treated Naegi infuriated Oowada even more than he already was. "You piece of shit! I don't know who you are but I'm gonna pound your ass into the ground!"

"Upupupu…" Monokuma laughed. "You must really hate me to get so angry, huh? Or are you trying to make amends for what you did to poor Naegi-kun on the first day?"

"Fuck you!" Oowada spat.

Monokuma laughed. "Whatever the case is, you're barking waaay up the wrong tree. What happened, happened because more than one of you decided you wanted to get out, right? No matter how much time passes, you can't cut free of your regrets from the outside world. You're to blame!"

"Of course we can't cut f-free of the outside world!" Fukawa insisted. "Being trapped in this insane p-place…!"

"Hmmm…You're trapped, are you?" Monokuma questioned. "Well, I'm sure once you learn all the mysteries of this school, your thinking will change for sure. You'll think, 'Boy, isn't it so wonderful how we all get to live here forever?!'"

"What are you trying to say…?" Ishimaru was perplexed.

"I feel like there's some deeper meaning hidden in there…" Kirigiri remarked. "Just like before…When you say 'everyone'…who exactly are you referring to?"

"Upupu…" Monokuma covered his mouth. "Sorry, I said everything I've got to say! I need to save some of the fun for later! Hyaa hyaa hyaa...!"

And just like that, Monokuma disappeared, leaving the remaining students feeling as if they were beaten to a pulp by a nightmarish reality. Even after he had left, everyone remained within the room, unable to move. Everyone was just too scared…too scared of being alone. Everyone, save for Togami, Celes, Kirigiri, Oowada, and Oogami, had started crying not long after Monokuma left. Whether it was from relief at narrowly avoiding death, had they not correctly identified Kuwata as the culprit, or the guilt at living at the expense of one's life or just the complete horror of witnessing Kuwata's execution, Naegi, by far, had it worse from everyone else. Since this morning, Naegi had been experiencing one unfortunate event after another.

From finding Sayaka Maizono's bloody corpse in her bathroom to witnessing the death of Junko Enoshima in the gymnasium, to finding out that she was used by the aforementioned Super High-School Level Idol who had the intent of framing a murder on her. To then identifying the killer as Kuwata, who was then executed in such a brutal manner before everyone's eyes…Naegi had no idea what to think anymore, especially since she was known as Super High-School Level _Good Luck_. Being humiliated by Monokuma when he confirmed her actual sex, which everyone had mistaken due to a misconception that stemmed from poor communication skills and lack of social interaction, was _nothing_ compared to everything else. Since day one, Naegi had been experiencing nothing but BAD luck and just knowing the irony in her title just rubbed salt into her wounds.

"I wish I had never gotten that letter in the mail…" Naegi cried into her hands. "Ever since I got that letter—just, why me? Why me?! Uwaaaah…"

Naegi was amongst the group whose cries filled the nearly silent room. Everyone else stayed silent, unable to find their voices at all or make any expression. Oogami did her best to comfort Asahina as the Super High-School Level Swimmer cried into the martial artist's chest. Ishimaru tried hard to cease his crying, but only manage to stifle the volume of his voice as he continued crying. Hagakure prayed to whichever deity that so happened to cross his mind as he desperately hoped for a miracle to get him out of this nightmarish reality. Fukawa and Yamada, despite not really getting along with each other, put their differences aside, if only for the moment, in order to comfort each other through means of holding hands. Of course, in Fukawa's case, she was holding onto Yamada's non-drawing hand in a death grip that wasn't reassuring as it was supposed to be, but Yamada could care less…to him, Fukawa's death grip at least reassured him that he wasn't alone.

"I want to go…home…" Naegi sobbed. She wanted to see her family, whom she had no idea of their whereabouts or status. The horror of not knowing was only made worse when Naegi recalled her video that Monokuma had given as an incentive to get one student to "graduate." "Mom…Dad…Komaru-chan…Ugu…hic…"

Out of everyone who had been crying, Naegi had been the only one who was vocal about her despair. Oowada never liked it when girls cried and wanted to walk over to Naegi and try to get her to stop crying, but he just couldn't bring himself to move. In the end, the one who had walked over to Naegi to stop her from crying was Fujisaki.

It all started with Fujisaki hugging Naegi from behind, which was then proceeded by a simple plea that consisted of Fujisaki saying, "Please don't cry…"

And from there, Fujisaki slowly managed to stop Naegi's crying. It was strange…one would have expected the Super High-School Level Programmer to be comforted instead of doing the comforting herself. Fujisaki herself was also confused, but knowing what Naegi had gone through within the span of a day probably had something to do with her sudden actions.

When Naegi finally stopped crying, Kirigiri walked over to her and whispered into her ear, "Naegi-kun…Do you have a second?"

"I guess…" Naegi sniffed.

Kirigiri nodded and looked at Fujisaki. "Fujisaki-san, would you mind if I borrow Naegi-kun for a minute?"

Fujisaki nodded and released Naegi from her embrace. "Sorry about hugging you so suddenly…"

"It's okay…" Naegi said softly. "By the way, thank you…"

Fujisaki blushed and looked down as she twiddled her fingers together. "I'll always be available if you ever need someone to talk to…"

Naegi nodded. "I'll keep that in mind."

This made Fujisaki smile genuinely at Naegi. She had no idea why, but Naegi made her feel happy, which was a feeling that Fujisaki welcomed after all the horror and despair she had experienced. Not knowing what else to do, Fujisaki decided to walk away to leave Naegi and Kirigiri alone with each other.

…

…

"Before we head back…there's something I want to talk to you about," Kirigiri began.

Naegi bit her lip. "It's about Maizono-san, isn't it?"

"I'm surprised you figured it out." Kirigiri seemed impressed. "I told you before the class trial started…You had to figure out the mystery of this case yourself. That's why I stayed quiet about your sewing kit when the information of such was given upon your gender revelation…"

"So you wanted me to realize how Maizono-san betrayed me by myself, didn't you?" Naegi looked down. "The thought never even crossed my mind. I feel like such a fool, becoming such an easy target like that…"

Kirigiri tucked her hair behind her ear. "Maizono-san meant to double-cross you. That's a fact you can never change. But even till the very end, she wasn't sure of her decision. That's why…as she lay dying, she was thinking of you."

"She was thinking…of me?" Naegi's eyes widened. "You can't just say something like that…I mean, there's no way you can know that. Only Maizono-san would know for sure, and we can't ask her now…"

"Even if you can't ask her, you can infer it, don't you think?" Kirigiri gave Naegi a small smile. "Her final thought…was how she could protect you."

"What…?" Naegi was perplexed.

"The fact that she used her last ounce of energy to leave her dying message proves it," Kirigiri explained. "If she didn't care what happened to you, she never would have left that message."

Naegi didn't know what to think of this. "Well…maybe she just wanted to get back at the person who killed her."

"That's certainly one possibility." Kirigiri nodded. "But I don't think that's what it was. She was…uncertain. She wasn't sure if she could kill someone…or deceive you. Which is why her plan failed. Her hesitation attracted failure. It's almost ironic when you think about it."

…

"Why are you telling me all this?" Naegi asked Kirigiri.

"Because…you're the kind of person who can overcome this," Kirigiri replied. "Because you can move past the deaths of your friends—Maizono-san and Kuwata-kun—and keep moving forward. Without someone like that, the others would never be able to break free of such a desperate situation."

"Move past their deaths?" Naegi questioned. "That's…I could never do that."

Kirigiri sighed.

…

"No…" Naegi said firmly. "I'm going to carry them with me the rest of my life. How could I possibly 'move past' something like that? Kuwata-kun…Maizono-san…I'll carry them with me forever. I'll carry their memories with me wherever I go!"

…

…

"So instead of forgetting them…you're choosing the hard road." Kirigiri chuckled. "Well, I have high expectations for you. By the way, I have to admit, I'm curious…How did you know I wanted to talk to you about Maizono-san?"

"Oh, well…" Naegi thought for a moment and then gave Kirigiri her biggest smile. "Because I'm an esper."

This caught Kirigiri by surprise. "Huh…?"

Naegi laughed. "Kidding…I just have pretty good intuition."

…

…

…

* * *

A/N End of chapter and HELLO EVERYONE. It's been a while and let me just say, college bitch-slapped the HELL out of me with homework. Dear god, the last quarter for the term and it's by far my busiest. I took up jazz appreciation, psychology, and chemistry of beer and wine! Yeah, guess who's gonna use that information for fanfiction? I am~! Also, as of a few days ago, I am now nineteen! Happy late birthday to me!

Ahem, moving on, I would like to first bring up an issue I experience with an anonymous reviewer that I would like to inform everyone about because this is something I take great offense to nowadays. First off…NEVER, and I mean, NEVER, EVER…go to one of my updating fics and leave a review just to ask when I'm going to update Secret or Misconception (or any other of my fics). That is something I have addressed MULTIPLE TIMES over the course of THREE YEARS. I KNOW I haven't updated…and the reason I haven't updated is because I get reviewers harassing me for updates.

Also, another thing I'd like to bring up…don't read my fics if you don't know about the fandom. NO! Bad! You don't wanna do that! You'll just get hella confused about what the fuck is going on and such! Please, for the sake of trying to avoid confusion, look up information pertaining the fandom…such as the case with Dangan Ronpa, you can look up the anime, lparchive translation, fantranslation, or a walkthrough of the English localization (English or Japanese dub, it's all up to you)—there are a lot of options with the Dangan Ronpa fandom! Though, I DO recommend looking into the game first before the anime since the anime is rather compressed in comparison to the game itself. This is just a recommendation!

Anyways, aside from college, TPP (Twitch Plays Pokémon…WE'RE ON PLATINUM and thanks to me, I'm the reason everyone is calling our Roselia, Sunbrella), and me getting distracted by exams, I'm rather glad to be back writing, even though I SHOULD be working on my five paragraph essay for my chemistry class, but naaaah, let me work on this fic! Please appreciate what I've done…It's like 2:50 AM as I write this and I STILL haven't started the essay…which, did I mention, involves me doing a review on how to brew beer? That is due today at 10 AM? Yeaaah…the things I do for my readers…love ya guys! :3

I would also like to apologize if there were any unfortunate implications in the first chapter regarding the issue of how Naegi's gender was discussed. And while I'm at it, let's talk about fem!Naegi, okay? Let's talk about male Naegi first since there's a reason I didn't change ANYTHING about Naegi. Naegi, in general, is the second shortest character in the cast, the first being Fujisaki. And while Asahina is actually the same height as Naegi, she still appears to be taller than he is when she stands right next to him. The difference might just be in centimeters, which, on paper, doesn't seem like much, but it definitely shows when you apply it to real life. Naegi also refers to himself using the pronoun, "boku," which, while masculine, can be used by both genders (standard explanation I usually get for this).

Naegi's first name is Makoto, which is a name usually given to males and occasionally given to females. Despite this, Makoto is actually a unisex name. And now for my favorite part about Naegi…in the English dub of the game, Naegi is voiced by Bryce Papenbrook, but in the Japanese dub…Megumi Ogata is his voice actress.

Now what was the point of all that? Just me explaining that there was nothing I needed to change when I genderbended Naegi, save for the one factor that makes this fic a genderbender at all: Naegi's sex. Fem!Naegi identifies as female and when Monokuma and Yamada were saying "them," that was a euphemism referring to breasts, which, thanks to Monokuma, it has been establish that fem!Naegi is flat as a board (thus the humiliation and Naegi being shocked that Monokuma even knew about that). Just decided to bring explain that in case anyone was confused.

Anyways, I understand that this fic followed the first trial and lacked originality, but just…wait it out. It's the first trial, I have nothing much to work with and by the way, thanks to that rather graphic description of Kuwata's execution, this fic is now rated M. That's the fastest any of my fics has EVER gotten the M rating. Yup. Also, there's a reason why I used the localization for when it came to how Kuwata's "Aho" was translated. Dumb-ass was a bit too wordy to type out multiple times and I feel uncomfortable using the r-word in such a manner due to the fact that I have been called that by my peers when they discovered I take medication for my ADHD...that was in the 6th grade, so that was ALL ignorance right there. But yeah...just saying, it hurts...unless I say ritardando, which means I'm talking about music and I like music. I'm a band geek...

Well, that's it for now, I really gotta work on my essay. And remember, I'll only update this fic if you show your support and review…just don't tell me to "Update soon" or the like. And while this IS Naegami, be aware that I'm also a fan of any other Naegi pairings…So basically, in a sense, you'll probably get what might as well be Naegixeveryone. The Naegami is there as the _for-sure-as-hell _main pairing that'll get more focus…hopefully. Sometimes, I don't know what'll end up happening when I write, so watch out.

Welp, hope you enjoyed this chapter, because I'm pretty sure I'm not gonna get any sleep today due to that damn essay since I spent so much time on this fic. Until next time, guys! KD out! XD


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